In the past 24 hours, Russia has confirmed 8 792 cases of COVID-19 and 400 deaths due to a disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The total case count going up to 4 563 056 and 99 633 deaths, the anti-coronavirus crisis center informed.
- The developers of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine said Friday that they have come up with technology that “updates” the jab to protect against new, more-contagious strains of the virus.
- Russia's Health Ministry has approved Sputnik Light, the single-shot version of the country's Sputnik V vaccine.
- Russia has introduced its third registered coronavirus vaccine, CoviVak, for general use. The two-dose, whole-virion vaccine uses complete, but inactive, particles of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19.
- Russia resumed flights with Germany, Venezuela, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka starting April 1, Russia's coronavirus response center announced. Also starting that day, Russia increased its number of flights with Cuba, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt and the UAE.
- The Russian Direct Investment Fund had signed an agreement with an India-based pharmaceuticals giant Virchow Group for the production of up to 200 million doses of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine a year.
- Foreign university students from 25 countries, including Switzerland, Greece, Japan and South Korea, will be allowed to return to Russia for their studies, according to a government decree issued Saturday. Returning students must notify their universities by email 10 days ahead of arrival and submit two coronavirus tests 72 hours before and after landing in Russia.
- Cyprus lifted its quarantine requirement for Russian travelers from April 1. Russian tourists are required to present two negative Covid-19 tests - taken before departure and on arrival - to enter the country.
